Digital printing, particularly new ink-jet solutions, stole the show.

By Mark Smith

About 391,000 visitors prowled the 19 halls of Drupa this year, (see sidebar about in-plants that attended), checking out the 1,971 exhibitors from 52 countries. Most of the attention, though, centered on the new digital printing devices, particularly those in the ink-jet category—though with prices ranging from $1 million to $5 million, most of the looking was of the gawking variety. And in truth, after listening to the vendors’ predictions about their ink-jet presses, it was hard not to stare in wonder at their products.